When it comes to measuring a business’s success, there’s no shortage of answers. Some people emphasize sales (the GMV cult), others focus on growth (the “X factor”), and some tout profitability (EBITDA syndrome). Then there are the intimidating abbreviations designed to make you feel small and the other person look smart.

But here's the thing about metrics: at their core, they’re just numbers—tools that can be manipulated within the rules of mathematics. Imagine a world where you get to choose the metric you measure and build the equation you want. How convenient, right?

Now, let’s bring this into the context of health. What’s the right metric for measuring your well-being? Your heartbeat? Respiration rate? Pulse? Electrical activity? It depends on the specialist you choose, as they will pick a metric based on their narrow definition of specialty. But all of these metrics are simply ways to measure the same thing: your life force—your ability to live long and happy.

The same holds true for business metrics. The true measure of a business’s "life force" isn’t just one number—it’s the potential, possibility, and impact of positively influencing lives: customers, employees, owners, investors. Just like your heartbeat alone doesn’t capture the full measure of your health, any single metric in business can’t capture the entire essence of its vitality.

So, why measure? And how should we measure?

Measurement was created by managers and consultants—those who don’t truly “own” the life force. Peter Drucker famously said, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” While that’s true for a manager who doesn’t feel the business’s pulse, it’s not true for the entrepreneur who owns it. A business owner feels when something’s off, just as you feel when something’s wrong with your health. You may visit a doctor who runs tests based on metrics, but you know when something’s wrong, even if the metrics say otherwise.

Similarly, in business, measurement comes after you feel that something isn’t right. Consultants, managers, and investors are there for analysis, but only the business owner has the intuition to know when the business’s “life force” is thriving or struggling.

This is how it should be in the boardroom. The expert can advise, but you are the owner—the one who feels the pulse and makes decisions accordingly. Don’t let the “metrics” take ownership of your business. They can never do what you do, because you are the embodiment of the business’s life force.

When should we measure?

Measurement changes the state of what’s being measured. According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, the act of measuring itself alters the system. The more you measure, the more you risk disrupting the natural flow. Think about when you plant a seed. You don’t measure constantly; you trust nature. You might measure at specific times, like when you know the soil might dry out or become too humid, but you don’t obsess over the metrics. You listen to nature’s cues—the whispers of the land.

Similarly, in business, we resist constant measurement. Beyond the basic reports required by regulation or taxes, we feel. We listen. We pay attention to the subtle changes, the impact we’re creating in the world, and the lives we are touching. It’s not about obsessing over numbers; it’s about understanding the magic of what you’re building.

In the end, magic triumphs over mere measurement. It’s about intuition, alignment, and the long-term impact we create.

Choose magic—trust your instincts, listen to the life force, and focus on the impact of your work, not just the numbers.